Against the Clock
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Cedric learns that a dark curse has been placed on his past self, which is causing him to weaken and disappear in the current day. In a race against the clock, he and Sofia travel to the past to see who has been tampering with past events and stop the culprit before Cedric disappears for good. *Carried over from Villain Symposium* (My 300th story! :D)
1. Less Than Sensational

Against the Clock

Summary: Cedric learns that a dark curse has been placed on his past self, which is causing him to weaken and disappear in the current day. In a race against the clock, he and Sofia travel to the past to see who has been tampering with past events and stop the culprit before Cedric disappears for good. *Carried over from Villain Symposium*

Disclaimer: I only own a few of the characters in here, including the villain. The character of Mahoney is in honor of one of my favorite actors who recently passed away: John Mahoney.

A/N: Well, here it is! My 300th story! 😊 I never believed I'd be saying that! And it's all thanks to all of you. You guys are the reason I continue writing. I hope you continue to enjoy, because I love writing for this fandom. Meanwhile, this story will be four chapters, but there will be a _lot_ going on. Have fun!

Chapter List:

1: Less than Sensational

2: Covert Chaos

3: Pastimes Aplenty

4: A Race Against Time

*Story*

Chapter 1: Less than Sensational

"Cedric? Cedric!" Roland ran from behind his desk in his office and caught the sorcerer before he collapsed to the floor. Settling both of them in a more comfortable position, he glanced up at one of the guards. "Go get a medic _now_!" Seeing that his orders were followed, the king looked down at his fallen friend and noticed he seemed to be stirring ever so slightly. "Cedric, talk to me."

"Mm, M-Y-Your Majesty?" He blinked a few times before squeezing his eyes shut. "It's so bright…"

Miranda, who'd witnessed the whole scene, moved over toward the windows and drew a few of the curtains closed, lessening the light. "How's that, Cedric?"

He sighed in relief and blinked his eyes open once again. "Thank you, Queen Miranda… I'm sorry for this…"

"It's all right, Cedric." The king waved the medic in once he'd appeared in the doorway. "We'll get you seen about and determine what's going on."

"Hey, Dad, I—" Sofia paused both her steps and her words once she saw the unexpected sight before her. "Mr. Cedric!" She hurried into the room, dropping to the floor and taking his hand in both of hers. "What happened? Are you all right?"

Cedric murmured weakly before offering her hand a gentle squeeze, but he couldn't find the strength to actually respond to her.

Sofia looked up at her mother. "What happened?"

"He collapsed," she told her as the medic began his examination. "He was standing and talking with us one minute, and the next his eyes rolled back in his head and he was falling. Your father caught him."

"Oh, Dad…" The young princess turned and hugged Roland, sighing. "What's wrong with him?"

The medic glanced up after observing the sorcerer and cleared his throat, pushing his spectacles farther up his nose. "There doesn't really seem to be a prominent medical issue, Sire," he informed the king. "It could be dehydration. It could be exhaustion. From what I understand, some sorcerers can go days without sleeping."

"Cedric usually tries to sleep on a pretty regular schedule," Roland acknowledged. "At least, I'm pretty sure he does. However, if it's exhaustion or anything else, perhaps he needs a few days to heal?"

"I'd advise exactly that, Your Majesty. Allow him some time to regain his strength, and he should be right as rain soon enough." He wrote a few things down on some parchment and passed it to Roland. "Please make sure someone gets him plenty of fluids and see to it that he limits his activities."

"We'll do so. Thank you, sir." Once the medic left, Roland stood and helped the drowsy Cedric to his feet. "Come on, Cedric. Let's get you to your tower so you can get some rest."

Cedric shook his head a couple of times, feeling the fog starting to lift, so to speak. "I'm… I'm all right, King Roland. I think I can make it." He began walking and stumbled a bit before catching himself on the door frame.

Sofia hurried up to him and grabbed his arm, smiling encouragingly at him. "Let me help you."

He returned the smile. "That's very kind of you, my dear, but I think I can manage."

She frowned. "No. I'm helping you whether you like it or not."

He sighed, nodding. "As you wish…"

As they began walking, Sofia turned back to her parents. "I'll be back down later after I get Mr. Cedric settled in."

"Sure you don't need some help?" Miranda asked.

"I'm sure. Thanks, Mom. And thanks again, Dad." She turned back to her current charge and led him along toward the direction of his tower.

"I admire their bond," Miranda told her husband with a fond smile.

"Believe it or not, so do I." He wrapped one arm around her waist. "That's some daughter we have."

"Hmm."

* * *

Once they (slowly) made it into his workshop, Sofia had Cedric sit down in his desk chair before shutting the door. She walked over to him and took his face into her hands, giving him a serious look. "What _really_ happened, Mr. Cedric?" she asked seriously. "You've been acting kind of weird the last few days, but I didn't want to say anything, and now you're fainting?"

Cedric reached up and gently clasped her hands in his, lowering them carefully. "I didn't want to say anything in front of your parents, but…" He sighed. "I've got this horrid feeling that I've been cursed."

"Cursed? How do you know?"

"I stole your amulet before, remember? I know what a curse feels like." He frowned as she nodded. "But this curse seems to be practically draining my very life from me. While today was bad, last night was worse." He glanced down at their hands. "I actually looked rather transparent."

The princess gasped. "You mean…?"

He looked toward her and nodded grimly. "I was vanishing before my very eyes." He released her hands and fisted his hands into his hair. "It doesn't make sense though! Curses are meant to cause physical or other forms of harm, certainly. But to make one disappear altogether? It doesn't add up."

"Does anyone you know have access to curses?" Seeing his deadpanned look, she grinned sheepishly. "Okay, stupid question. Let me rephrase that: Who, right now, would have access to such a thing and would _want_ to harm you?"

Cedric rolled his eyes and waved a hand. "Take your pick. Grimtrix is at the top of my list, as usual."

"Maybe…" Sofia inhaled once before sighing in resignation. "Or maybe we need to consider the possibility that it could be someone else… Someone we've not even seen yet."

"Certainly, but again… This is a rather strange use for a curse. I'd be more inclined to believe that rather than making _me_ disappear, one would—" He paused, his eyes wide and his mouth slack.

"Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked in concern. She waved her hand before his eyes, getting his attention again. "What is it? What do you think is going on?"

"I'm liable to disappear if…something has happened to me at another time. When I'm most vulnerable…"

The princess gasped. "You don't think…"

Cedric quickly stood and immediately regretted it, his equilibrium thrown off in a most unpleasant manner that left him seeking the edge of his work table. He held on as he caught his breath, gently assuring Sofia he was all right. "I must find that time travel spell…"

"Weren't you the one who always told me that time travel is a _bad_ idea?" She folded her arms. "You could get hurt, Mr. Cedric."

"Would you rather me disappear altogether?" he countered, though not angrily. Seeing her sigh, he shrugged. "I may be completely off in this prediction, but I've got to at least try and see if I'm right. Because if I am, perhaps I can stop whoever is doing this to me."

"So…you think someone's not cursed _you_ —they've cursed your younger self?"

"It's not unheard of in the darker circles of magic wielders, I'm afraid."

She nodded slowly before replying, "Fine. Then I'm going with you."

"You most certainly are not. I won't have you being in any more danger than I've already placed you before."

Sofia just gave her mentor a sweet smile. "You're not winning this argument, Mr. Cedric. I'm going."

Cedric finally relented, groaning in aggravation. "Fine. But listen, what I've told you in our lessons is not something to be taken lightly. Time travel is no joke, Sofia. One wrong move and we could completely change the entire course of history, even going so far as to stop certain events from ever occurring. So just stick by me and do as I say. All right?"

The princess nodded. "Yes, Mr. Cedric."

"Good." He frowned as he began looking around. "Now… Where is that youth potion?"

To be continued…


	2. Covert Chaos

Against the Clock

Summary: Cedric learns that a dark curse has been placed on his past self, which is causing him to weaken and disappear in the current day. In a race against the clock, he and Sofia travel to the past to see who has been tampering with past events and stop the culprit before Cedric disappears for good. *Carried over from Villain Symposium*

Disclaimer: I only own a few of the characters in here, including the villain. The character of Mahoney is in honor of one of my favorite actors who recently passed away: John Mahoney.

A/N: And off we go to Hexley Hall in this chapter! :D You'll meet a new OC here named Mahoney. He's got a bit of a backstory, so I hope you enjoy him. Also, things are about to start picking up, so buckle up! By the way, I saw that a lot of people were confused why, if they're going into Cedric's past, he would need a youth potion in the first place. Well, don't you worry. Sofia will ask the question for you, and you'll see Cedric's reasoning. 😉 Enjoy.

Note: The spell Cedric recites here is a throwback to my story "Timey Wimey." :D Also, a few of my original characters from my past stories "Juliana the Just" and "Jubilation" such as Juliana and even Lyle (a bully) will appear in here. Oh, and heads up. This chapter is _long_. Lol! Also, don't worry about the use of Sofia's name in here. I have a plan to reinstate the past by the end of this story.

Chapter List:

1: Less than Sensational

2: Covert Chaos

3: Pastimes Aplenty

4: A Race Against Time

*Story*

Chapter 2: Covert Chaos

Sofia blinked as she watched her mentor practically tear apart his potion storage. "Why do you need a youth potion, Mr. Cedric?"

"So I can disguise myself as my younger self, of course," he responded airily as he continued searching. He missed the confused look on his apprentice's face as he grumbled softly and pushed another set of bottles aside.

"But… Won't that get confusing?" She gestured lightly. "I mean, it's your past self that may be cursed, and you're going to disguise yourself as…yourself…while we're in the past to stop your past self from disappearing…?" She held her hand to her head. "Ah, now _that's_ probably what people mean by 'mind boggling.'"

He chuckled as he finally grabbed the correct bottle. "Follow my train of thought, Sofia." He uncorked the bottle. "We're traveling to _my_ past. Unlike Calista's Looking Back Glass, the time travel spell actually does allow you to interact with others and even alter events…which is what makes this so tedious and even dangerous. However, if you and I were to go as we are, while _you_ may fit in with the other students, I'll rather stand out like a sore thumb."

"So… We're definitely going to Hexley Hall."

He nodded and lifted the potion to his lips to drink before Sofia grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Okay, but what if your past self, even though he's probably being cursed, is there? Wouldn't meeting yourself be a bit of a problem?"

"We'll work around that. Don't worry." He gently patted her head, smiling as she laughed softly. He then flinched as he felt a strange wave sweep through his body. "It's…getting worse."

Sofia frowned. "All right, Mr. Cedric. Hurry."

He nodded and drank the potion, changing into his child form. "We must go quickly," the sorcerer insisted, his voice the familiar tone Sofia recalled from seeing his past form a few times by now. He passed her the training wand she used on a daily basis, which she accepted. He then held out his free hand. "Hold onto my hand while I say the spell."

"Are you going to take your spell book or anything?" she asked with a frown before taking his hand. "You know, just in case…"

Cedric gave his friend a playful smirk. "Do you always have to question everything I do, Sofia?"

She offered him a deadpanned look. "Well, you _did_ try to take over my kingdom, so yes."

He blinked before laughing sheepishly as she rolled her eyes. "Point taken. And not to worry. I've got the most important spells in here." He reached into his robe with his free hand and pulled a small roll of parchment out briefly, showing the girl the proof, before pocketing it again. He grabbed his wand next and spoke the magic words: " _Tempus reverse; dimittam omni termino. Natus in praeteritum_." He inhaled as the wand began glowing. "Transport us to my childhood years at Hexley Hall."

Within seconds, the friends had disappeared.

* * *

Hexley Hall indeed loomed in the distance like a daunting reminder of yesteryear…in more ways than one. To Cedric, it was a reminder of his sometimes miserable and lonely childhood due to a mistake that wasn't even his own, not to mention bad decisions he'd made in his adulthood as a result. To Sofia, it was a reminder that the real troubles all started here: the first encounter with Grimtrix last year, the secretive meeting, the aftermath… Needless to say, no matter what time frame they happened to be in, neither friend seemed thrilled to be at that school.

Cedric squeezed Sofia's hand reassuringly as he saw her look change to one of dismay. When she turned to him, he smiled encouragingly. "We'll figure this out."

She laughed softly. "You're the one practically disappearing, but you're the one trying to cheer _me_ up… When did the roles get reversed?"

"I think it's about time I contributed something more to this friendship. You're always looking out for me and my wellbeing, so now I think I can finally give some of that back." He released her hand as she smiled at him. "However, before we get started on this mission, I think there's something we need to take care of." He wielded his wand and held it up. "Sorry to say, Sofia, but princesses don't always fit in at Hexley Hall."

Sofia grinned. "So, you're going to help me look like one of the students there?"

"I'll try my best!" With a flick of his wand and a few magic words, Sofia's normal princess attire changed to a royal purple knee-length dress with little white stars scattered about the fabric, black tights, purple boots, and the standard Hexley Hall robe over the dress. Her hair remained tied into the ponytail, but the typical tiara was gone and replaced with a large purple hairband. Her normal jewelry, including the Amulet of Avalor, remained. "And now for me." One tap reverted his current clothing to his childhood Hexley Hall uniform.

"What if we're wrong about this?" Sofia asked as they began walking toward the school. "What if it's not someone cursing you in your childhood years?"

"Then I suppose we'll have to start over at square one," he admitted with a frown. "However, I have a strong feeling about this." He made a sound of discomfort as he felt another wave of pain rush through him, forcing him to pause momentarily and allow it to wash over him. He glanced at his apprentice, who seemed extremely concerned. "Unfortunately, we don't have much time to debate this, and there's little room for error at this point."

"Then let's go." She grabbed his hand and tugged him along toward the entrance, where she noticed that several students had already entered to begin the school day.

"We'll need a cover story for you, Sofia," he mentioned as they neared the building. "Professors and students alike are rather familiar with each other, so they're liable to notice a new student in the midst."

"Maybe say I'm an exchange sorceress from Enchancia?" She grinned.

He shook his head, laughing. "Silly girl, _I'm_ from Enchancia, remember? They would question why you haven't been attending all along."

"Oh, right…" She pondered. "Well, Avalor was under Shuriki's rule during this time frame, so I doubt she would have let anyone out…" She lit up. "I've got it! I'm Sofia from Sensationa—a new and progressive kingdom."

Cedric had to laugh. " _Sensationa_ , eh? I can't imagine _where_ you came up with _that_."

Sofia smiled playfully. " _They_ don't have to know that."

They approached the entrance and were greeted by some of the professors as they walked inside. Surprisingly enough, no one asked about Sofia's presence, but they weren't about to question it. It was for the best if they didn't draw attention to themselves.

"Cedric!"

Well, so much for that…

Cedric turned and gasped in surprise as a much younger version of Greylock nearly knocked him over as he ran up to him. "Greylock?"

"What are you doing here?" the brown-haired boy insisted. "I thought you were sick! You looked like someone had stomped all over you and then sprayed you with goo yesterday. You looked _awful_."

The Enchancian sorcerer huffed and shook his head. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I?" He frowned. Talking with a younger Greylock was strange at this point, especially knowing about his betrayal to his own king last year. Still, he had to act as if everything were normal.

"But seriously, I talked with Juliana, and she said it looked like you had all the symptoms of being cursed." The younger Greylock folded his arms. "I will deny it if you repeat this, but I was worried about you. It was weird and terrible seeing you just randomly drop in class like that."

Sofia smiled. She knew Greylock wasn't bad deep down, and he especially wasn't showing signs of that behavior right now, but still… And his mention of Juliana didn't escape her notice either. So that meant the fallen sorceress was still alive at this point.

Cedric cleared his throat and shook his head. "I… I don't remember much about yesterday, Greylock. Thanks, though."

"Hmm. If you say so." He then finally noticed the young princess standing behind his classmate and grinned. "Who's this?"

Sofia blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected him to realize she was there, apparently. "Um…"

Cedric gestured toward the girl. "Greylock, meet Sofia of Sensationa. She's a transfer sorceress."

"I didn't know we did that here at Hexley Hall," Greylock laughed. "And I've never heard of Sensationa before!"

Sofia smiled uncertainly. "It's…a newer, more progressive kingdom. My, um… My parents work as our kingdom's royal sorcerers."

Cedric couldn't help smirking. His apprentice was actually getting better at thinking on her feet.

"So you'll be going here now, huh?" Greylock grinned. "Sweet! Maybe now we can trade partners, Cedric. I can have Juliana as _my_ partner for a change, and you and—what's your name again?"

"Sofia."

"You and Sofia can work together."

Now that was ironic. Cedric grinned at the brown-haired sorcerer. "You just want to work with Juliana." Apparently, old habits died hard; he always enjoyed picking on the other boy about his not-so-secret crush on the young sorceress.

Greylock couldn't stop the blush from rising to his cheeks at the mention of the girl's name. "Oh, hush." He looked up as the school bell began ringing. "We'd better get a move on. Being late for Professor Gladtide's class is sure to come with severe consequences." He turned and began walking away.

"Who's Professor Gladtide?" Sofia asked Cedric as they followed Greylock.

"Oh, a rather by-the-book professor Cordelia and I both had. She absolutely loved my sister, of course. She tolerated me, but out of our particular class she had something of a soft spot for Juliana." He shrugged as Sofia frowned curiously. "You'll see."

"Hmm. I'm just surprised no one has questioned me yet." She grinned as she nudged her friend. "It's kind of nice to go somewhere without people knowing who I am though. I enjoy being a princess, but sometimes I'd love to just be anonymous and not have people calling out my name all the time, you know?"

"Can't say I'm familiar with that desire, Sofia." He smiled as she gave him a sad look. "Not to worry though. The ones I really care to seek my attention already do so."

Sofia smiled and nodded.

In the near distance, someone stood amid the moving students, his arms folded and his dark brown eyes slowly changing into a deep red color. "Well, well, well… What have we here?" He chuckled before vanishing.

* * *

When the trio arrived in Professor Gladtide's room, Sofia was excited to discover that it was an alchemy class. The classroom resembled hers at Royal Prep, but it seemed to have a more old-fashioned feel to it and was certainly darker. The deep purples and blues of the walls were beautiful to view. And instead of desks, students were seated four to a table with alchemy kits in the middle.

Greylock sat at a table with a girl who seemed familiar to Sofia, though she couldn't quite place her. The princess glanced toward her friend. "Who's that girl Mr.—I mean, Greylock is sitting by?"

Cedric grinned. "You don't recognize her from my stories? Think, Sofia: long braided black hair, purple eyes, red and white dress, kind demeanor… Greylock's massive crush that he does a terrible job of hiding?"

Sofia gasped. " _That's_ Juliana?!"

The dark-haired boy quickly shushed his apprentice before laughing softly. "I showed you a hologram of her before, remember?"

"Yeah, but… She looks so _different_ in real life." She grinned. "We're sitting with her, right?"

"Well, I usually sat by myself in this class, actually…"

"Not today, Cedric." She giggled at his perplexed look as she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the other two. "Hi, are these seats taken?"

Juliana looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Cedric. Who's your friend?"

"Juliana, this is Sofia. She's a transfer student from Sensation-Land."

"Sensationa," Sofia corrected with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, r-right… Heh."

Juliana laughed. "The seats aren't taken. Please, join us." She reached forward and passed the alchemy materials to each person. "So, Sofia, are you here for the remainder of the year?"

"I don't think so," she answered honestly as she accepted some of the items. "My parents wanted me to try out a variety of schools and see which one I liked the best."

Greylock scoffed. "There is no better school than Hexley Hall."

"So I hear." She gave Cedric a sarcastic smile, seeing that he just turned away.

"Cedric, how are you feeling today?" Juliana asked. "You scared us all yesterday when you collapsed like that."

"I said the same thing," Greylock added.

"I'm fine," Cedric lied.

The dark-haired girl frowned, her purple eyes shimmering a bit in curiosity. "You're not fine. The Cedric I know doesn't just randomly fall down after screaming in pain. Something's not right, and you know it."

"Let's talk about it later, okay?" The royal sorcerer sighed. "Now isn't the time or place."

"Good morning, you guys!"

The quartet turned to see a boy who appeared to be a few years younger than the current age group. He had messy golden-brown hair that fell into his sea green eyes. Despite his size, he wore a sharp three-piece magenta and turquoise suit. In his tiny arms was a set of books that seemed far too advanced for someone his age to be reading.

"Morning, Mahoney," Greylock greeted with a grin. "A bit of light reading, huh?"

"Yes! Mum says reading a book or two every night is good for the brain." He giggled. "I guess my brain is bigger than ever."

"Too bad it's not helping _you_ grow any," a new voice jeered from behind the boy. A tanned preteen closer to the current age group with slick black hair and strange gold eyes and dressed in the normal Hexley Hall uniform (albeit sloppily kempt) stood there, his arms folded and a smirk on his face as the little boy turned to him. "Got something to say, you little twerp?"

Mahoney frowned and shook his head. "My mum always says if I've nothing nice to say, then I shan't say anything at all." He smiled kindly. "So I shan't say what poor styling you have or how bad your breath smells, Lyle."

"Why, you little-!"

"Lyle," a commanding voice from the front of the room snapped, getting the attention of everyone in the room. "Is there any particular reason you deem it necessary to be standing at this moment?"

"N-No, Professor Gladtide."

"Then sit down. You as well, Mahoney," she insisted, though in a much gentler tone. The woman in question had graying hair tied into a bun, and her half-rim glasses rested on her nose. She, like most other teachers, wore her long dark robe over her burgundy dress. As Cedric had told Sofia, she did indeed appear to be one of the no-nonsense types. "All right, everyone. Quills at the ready."

"What?" Sofia whispered to Cedric, who blanched.

"Ah, Merlin's Mushrooms," he whispered frantically. "I forgot all about this." He turned to Sofia as they each grabbed a quill. "Every morning, Professor Gladtide would quiz us on random facts we'd studied the day before. And um… I have _no_ idea what that would be at this point."

"Just do your best," the princess enthused as the professor began calling out quiz questions.

Surprisingly enough, things were fairly easy this quiz. Questions involving particular types of metals, transformation processes, and such subjects proved simple enough. She collected the papers (minus Sofia's, as she'd hidden it in her robe since she didn't want to be added into the past timeline any more than she already had been) and instructed them all to pick up where they'd left off yesterday on their alchemy assignments.

Juliana laughed. "That's going to be fun, since half the current group wasn't here yesterday." She waved her wand and magically set up everything.

"I have a question," Sofia started as she watched Juliana's work. "That boy Mahoney… Isn't he kind of young to be in this class?"

"He's a prodigy," Greylock responded. "Six years old, and he can do the same amount and type of work kids twice his age can. He's amazing to watch too, to be honest. He's better than most classically trained sorcerers. I just wish Lyle would leave him alone. He's such a bully and a jerk."

Sofia whispered to Cedric, "Isn't Lyle the guy you said had a crush on Juliana?"

Cedric nodded before pressing his finger to his lips, insisting she didn't continue that train of thought.

"So do you two know each other already?" Juliana wondered as she finished setting everything up. She smiled toward Cedric and Sofia, who blinked at her. "You just seem like really good friends, even though Sofia just got here today."

"Uh, yeah, uh," Cedric stuttered, loosening the top of his robe a bit. "O-Our parents are…um… Good friends! W-We met when we were little and…"

Sofia smiled, gently squeezing his hand under the table and finishing, "And we've been friends ever since."

"Huh," Greylock laughed. "Funny. He never said anything about you before."

"Aww, Cedric," Sofia teased playfully, giggling as the poor boy hung his head and blushed. "It's okay though. You're forgiven." She released his hand and happily patted his head.

"Sofia," he mumbled, embarrassed.

The conversation steered in a new direction: their project. While the four group members began working on their assignment, the same figure from earlier sat across the room, those eyes glaring at Cedric's young form as he and his group members worked. "That's right, Cedric," he murmured lowly, eyes narrowing. "Enjoy yourself while you can." With a smirk, he lifted one pale hand and clenched his fingers tightly.

Cedric made a sound of discomfort before falling out of his chair, obviously in pain.

"Cedric?" Juliana gasped in surprise.

"Cedric!" Greylock echoed.

Sofia knelt next to him and whispered, "We need to get you out of here."

"I know, Sofia," he responded in agony. He looked up as the professor knelt beside him, placing one hand against his forehead.

"Cedric, you're burning up. I thought for sure you'd remain home today to rest up after the incident yesterday." She sighed. "Let's get you to the infirmary."

"I'll do it," Sofia volunteered as she helped the sorcerer to his feet.

Professor Gladtide blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry, my darling girl. I didn't even realize I had a new student today with everything going on. What is your name?"

"Sofia. It's all right. I can help him get to the nurse and see what's going on."

"What a kind gesture. Thank you, Sofia." She smiled before standing to her feet as Cedric leaned against Sofia, who led him out of the room. "Hmm. There's something so strange yet interesting about that girl. She seems like a kind soul."

"I think Cedric thinks so too," Greylock teased with a snicker before feeling a knock against the side of his head. "Ow!" He glanced up at his professor, who had her wand aimed at him. "Now, now, Professor G. Let's not do anything hasty."

"Get back to work, Greylock." She smiled toward the raven-haired girl next to him. "Excellent work as always, Juliana."

"Thanks, Professor Gladtide." She giggled as Greylock pouted. "Lighten up, Greylock. Help me with this project while those two are gone, okay? It's just you and me now."

Instantly, the boy's mood changed completely. "Excellent point. Let's get started!"

* * *

In the infirmary, Sofia sat in a chair opposite Cedric, who was lying on a cushioned table with a thermometer in his mouth and a damp cloth resting on his forehead. She watched the nurse pluck the thermometer from the boy's mouth.

"You're running quite the fever, Cedric," she told him gently. "At 101, I'd expect you to be home right now."

"I can't go home," he lamented. "I… Well, my parents are working, and there's no way for me to get home until the end of the day." Technically he was right about that. The coach that took him back to the castle wouldn't arrive until the end of school, as it always did. He was honestly surprised he'd remembered that.

"I'm afraid you'll just be staying in the infirmary today then. There's a room already set up for you." She glanced to Sofia. "You can go back to class."

"Can I stay with him, please?" she asked. "I kind of…just arrived here, and he's my only friend here, so I don't exactly know my way around. Besides, I have to go with him after school to meet up with my parents, who work with his." Well… It was sort of the case, anyway.

"If that's what you want." She gestured toward the friends. "Follow me and I'll get you to the room."

A few minutes later, Cedric lay in a bed with his eyes closed as Sofia sat beside him, her head resting on her arms and eyes downcast.

"We're not any closer to solving this mystery, are we?" Sofia murmured with a sigh.

"Hey."

She turned toward her friend, smiling as he played with her ponytail to distract her from such negative thoughts.

"We're going to figure this out, Sofia. You'll see. Nothing can stop us. We're Cedric and Sofia! Together, we can do anything."

Sofia sighed. "I know." She laughed. "It's weird to hear _you_ say that, but it's also nice."

"Well, thanks to you, I can be just as positive as you when I want to be, my dear." He laughed. "Sounds strange to say that in _this_ voice, but…"

She grinned. "I think the fever is getting to you. Why don't you get some rest and we can talk afterward?"

He nodded and yawned, pulling his arms under the covers as she stood up. He eyed her curiously. "You aren't going very far, right?"

The princess smiled and gently placed her hand on his head. "I'm not going _anywhere_." She sighed as he smiled and drifted off to sleep. "We've _got_ to figure this out… I _won't_ lose my best friend."

The same pair of daunting eyes from earlier now peered into a crystal ball, those pale fingers raking across the glass orb as a menacing chuckle escaped the figure's throat. "Oh, yes, you will…"

To be continued…


	3. Pastimes Aplenty

Against the Clock

Summary: Cedric learns that a dark curse has been placed on his past self, which is causing him to weaken and disappear in the current day. In a race against the clock, he and Sofia travel to the past to see who has been tampering with past events and stop the culprit before Cedric disappears for good. *Carried over from Villain Symposium*

Disclaimer: I only own a few of the characters in here, including the villain. The character of Mahoney is in honor of one of my favorite actors who recently passed away: John Mahoney.

A/N: Poor Cedric can't catch a break. I'm pretty sure he needs a majority of this chapter just as much as Sofia does. Lol. I blame "A Million Dreams" from _The Greatest Showman_ for a lot of events in this chapter. The sugary sweetness of both versions of the song…yep, the content here was bound to happen. Haha. Anyway, bonding time coming up, so hope you all enjoy.

Note: For all my riddle-lovers, pay good attention to the message conveyed down at the bottom. If you get it, if you leave a review, type the first and last letters of the name hidden in the mysterious message. Example: if the name is George, type GE. 😉 Let's have a little fun with this one!

Chapter List:

1: Less than Sensational

2: Covert Chaos

3: Pastimes Aplenty

4: A Race Against Time

*Story*

Chapter 3: Pastimes Aplenty

About an hour after falling asleep, Cedric awoke only to see that the princess was now sleeping silently herself. She was leaning over the bed, her head resting on her arms like earlier, and her hand clasping his. He smiled. "Oh, Sofia." He managed to tug his hand from hers as gently as possible before sitting up against the inclined bed. He sighed and leaned back against the arrangement of pillows, pondering what to do next.

It just wasn't fair. Someone clearly had nothing better to do than to personally seek him out for vengeance or whatever; however, as per usual, his apprentice was now dragged into the situation. Granted, he'd _tried_ to keep her out of it, but he knew better. She always wanted to help him out whenever and however possible, and she was not about to let him go at it alone. While he admired her stamina and loyalty, he often feared it would put her into grave danger… Of course, she was no stranger to that.

"Mm, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked as she sat up and yawned, rubbing at her eyes. She blinked when she saw her mentor's child form sitting in the bed and staring down at the blankets. "I mean, Cedric," she giggled, correcting herself just in case anyone else was around. She frowned at the look on her friend's face. "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried, Sofia," he admitted softly. "I don't know which of our numerous enemies could be after me and trying to get rid of me, but I'm also scared something is going to happen to _you_. You don't deserve it…" He frowned. "Your parents don't even know you're here." He pressed his hands to his face. "I'm a terrible mentor," he lamented, his voice muffled by his hands.

The princess smiled and shook her head before standing up. She reached forward and lowered his hands, looking directly at him. "You're a wonderful mentor," she countered. "I made my own decisions, like I always do. Sorry to say, _Cedric_ , but I'm a headstrong girl."

He laughed as she released his hands. "I'll not deny you that." He inhaled before exhaling slowly. "I guess I'm just…nervous about how things are going to turn out."

She pondered his words for a few moments before asking, "What were some of the things you liked to do when you were a kid?"

"Oh, goodness, let me think…" He closed his eyes and let his memories come flooding back to him, a smile playing on his lips as he recalled some of the better times of his childhood. "Aside from magic, I liked sitting outside Hexley Hall underneath one of the trees and reading. Oh, and there was a secret about some of the trees that many of us discovered but promised never to tell the adults." He laughed as he opened his eyes. "I'd forgotten that."

"What secret?" Sofia asked, enthralled with his words.

"It would be easier to show you." He huffed. "But if I were to leave, they'd know…"

Sofia grinned and pulled him to his feet. "Just leave _that_ to me. It may not be my most shining moment in my own past, but I do know a thing or two about duplication spells…"

" _Sofia_ ," Cedric began in a warning voice, "so help me, if you create that horrid copy of yourself again…"

"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing this time." She grabbed his wand before he could say anything and aimed it at both of them. " _Doppler Duplicato_!" Once the spell was complete, she managed to use Cedric's wand to levitate his copy into the bed and her own copy into the chair, much to his surprise. Just when had she learned to do _that_? " _Somnibus Populi Celae_." She smiled as the two children copies fell asleep instantly before turning back to Cedric, who gaped at her.

"You still remember _that_ spell?" he asked in surprise.

"Mm-hmm." She handed the wand back to him and grinned as he accepted it.

"That was years ago."

"What can I say?" She shrugged. "Even though I now know what you were planning to do that night, it's hard to forget the first spell your mentor ever wrote specifically for you." She grinned.

Cedric blushed and looked down. "What a memory to have. One of the first times I lied to you and tricked you."

Sofia shook her head and took hold of his hands. "I've forgiven you, haven't I? Probably at _least_ fourteen times by now, if not more." She grinned as he chuckled. "You're just so stubborn and can't or won't allow yourself to believe it. If I was still mad at you, I wouldn't be here now. Would I?"

He shook his head as he smiled back at her. "No… No, you wouldn't."

"Glad you see it my way. Now let's go." She began walking before pausing. "Um…" She smiled sheepishly before glancing back at her friend. "I don't know where I'm going."

Cedric rolled his eyes in humor before walking forward and grabbing her hand this time, pulling her along. "Follow me."

* * *

Outside Hexley Hall, nature was clearly preparing for springtime. The evergreens were even more brilliant than usual, and flowers were just barely beginning to bloom. The two Enchancian inhabitants peeked through a side door, looked around only to find the coast was clear, and then made a mad dash toward a clump of evergreens on the side of the grand school.

Cedric climbed over the stone fence that separated the school grounds from the trees before extending his hand to the princess, helping her over as well. He turned toward a particular cluster of three trees and sighed. "This is it. This is where I used to spend some time to myself."

Sofia took one look over the edge and whimpered a bit, clinging to the sorcerer's robe. " _This_ is where you used to read? Over the edge of doom where you could fall to your demise?"

"I sometimes used to read under one of the trees higher on this hill, actually. But I told you that there was something secretive about some of these, did I not?" He reached out and pressed his hand against the bark of the tree. " _Revelare Mysteria_." With a sudden flash, both sorcerer and princess were transported to what appeared to be an entirely new location, with waterfalls, fields of wildflowers, animals grazing in the grass, and the most magical array of colors Sofia had ever seen—some which she felt she'd _never_ seen before. Cedric smiled at his friend. "Kind of leaves you speechless, doesn't it?"

"Wow…" She glanced down at some reeds near a body of water as the wind rushed through, creating a musical sound. "Now _this_ is what I call magic."

Cedric nodded. "It's a place I always longed to come back to." He sighed. "But only children can access it. One day when I was older—probably in my mid-teen years—I tried to access it again but couldn't." He shrugged. "I guess I'd lost too much innocence by then or something."

Sofia blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

He smiled at her misunderstanding. "Never mind. Come along." He took her hand and led her forward. "I'll show you the _actual_ tree I liked to read under."

It took a few minutes, but they made it to a large weeping willow that stood facing one of the numerous waterfalls. Hanging from one of the branches was a swing, decorated with vines and flowers. At the base of the willow was a smooth stone.

"This is it," Cedric announced as he sat down on the stone. "This is where I used to read if I could escape here for a bit. While everyone else was playing in the water or off on a magical adventure, I'd stay here by the water and have some time to myself."

"Wow," Sofia breathed. In a way, this reminded her a bit of the clandestine passage to the Secret Library, and in some cases the Mystic Isles. So her mentor had his own version as well? "This is amazing." She grinned and hurried up to the swing before sitting down and wrapping her hands around the vines and flowers that created makeshift ropes. "I could stay here forever…"

"I felt the same way. Some days, I preferred here to going home."

"I can see why. It's beautiful." She gasped when she felt hands on her back before realizing she was being pushed. She laughed. "Did you ever swing on this?" she asked.

Cedric nodded as he continued pushing her. "Sometimes. I had to push myself though."

Sofia frowned. This whole pastime thing was turning out to be more solemn than she'd hoped it would be. She dug her heels into the ground and stopped the swing, much to Cedric's surprise. "Come sit with me, and we'll swing together."

He blinked in surprise. "H-How?"

"There's plenty of room." She moved over to one side of the swing before patting the spot next to her, smiling as he hesitantly sat down. She grabbed his left hand with her right as she held onto the vine with her other hand.

"I—I meant, how are we going to swing together? Now there's no one to push us."

"It's called _magic_ , Cedric," Sofia whispered playfully before withdrawing her own wand and casting a simple spell to make the swing move back and forth.

Cedric laughed softly as the swing carried them backward and forward, gaining in momentum a bit as the beautiful scenery before them swayed with them. "You could quite possibly be the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Sofia giggled. "It's just a swing…"

"I'm serious, Sofia." He glanced at her as she blinked. "No one else would ever have done this for me: getting me away from my troubles and helping me find some sort of peace. Maybe if I'd had this when I was younger…"

"…You wouldn't be the same Mr. Cedric I know," she informed him. "And I don't think I would like that very much. You are who you are now because of everything you've experienced and overcome. Don't sell yourself short."

The sorcerer couldn't help smiling at her words. "Sofia, I—"

"Enjoying your downtime?" a jeering voice inquired from behind them.

The pair immediately paused the swing and jumped off, turning to face the source of the voice. Before them stood a pale redhaired boy with matching devious red eyes and a uniform of the same color, decorated (if one could call it that) with several buckles and armor-like materials. On his left middle finger was a gold ring with a black _S_ symbol in the center that was surrounded with what appeared to be diamonds.

"Who are you?" Cedric demanded as he pushed his apprentice behind him.

"You may call me Sylas," the boy responded with a sneer. "However, I doubt you'll be saying much of anything soon enough, Cedric the Sensational." He snapped his fingers, causing the sorcerer to drop to his knees and cry in pain. "Feeling a little off, are we?"

"Hey!" Sofia snapped, lifting her arm with the Enchantlet. "Who do you think you are?! What have you done to Mr. Cedric?!"

"Isn't it obvious, you pesky girl? I'm making him disappear…for good." He grinned as he clenched his pale hands together, twisting them in the air, causing Cedric to cry out again.

"Stop it!" Sofia ordered. "Leave him alone!"

"You're right, Princess." Sylas released his magical grip on Cedric and dropped him in a heap on the grassy ground. "There's plenty of time for that later. I'll tell you what." He snapped his fingers and caused a scroll to appear in his hand before tossing it to Sofia, who caught it. "This might actually be more fun. See if you can figure this little riddle out. If you can, I'll let your precious Mr. Cedric survive. If not…" He shrugged. "It's a rough world with harsh lessons, I'm afraid. It's probably time you royals learned that anyway." He chuckled and vanished into thin air.

"Are you all right?" Sofia asked as she knelt beside Cedric, who was breathing heavily. "C-Cedric?"

The boy sat up and looked toward his apprentice, nodding as she placed one hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine… well, in a manner of speaking." He frowned at the scroll in her hand. "What did he give you?"

She unrolled the object and held it out for both of them to see. Her eyes widened at the blood red letters etched into the parchment.

 ** _Who am I?_**

 ** _Only time will tell._**

 ** _Open your ear_ s _and listen well._**

 ** _You think_ y _ou'_ l _l sol_ ve _a mystery true?_**

 **S _top dreaming and scheming; your days are_ t _hrough._**

 ** _I hop_ e _you've listened; I hope you can see._**

 ** _For only the message he_ r _e will lead you to ME._**

 ** _X_**

"I… I thought he said his name was Sylas," Sofia told Cedric with a mystified tone.

"Or maybe that's his cover… We need to figure out who's _really_ behind this." He frowned as a dark memory returned to him, overwhelming his mind. "Sylas…" He then sighed heavily and took Sofia's hand, causing her to blink in surprise. "Sofia, I think there's something I should tell you… And you aren't going to like it…"

To be continued…


	4. A Race Against Time

Against the Clock

Summary: Cedric learns that a dark curse has been placed on his past self, which is causing him to weaken and disappear in the current day. In a race against the clock, he and Sofia travel to the past to see who has been tampering with past events and stop the culprit before Cedric disappears for good. *Carried over from Villain Symposium*

Disclaimer: I only own a few of the characters in here, including the villain. The character of Mahoney is in honor of one of my favorite actors who recently passed away: John Mahoney.

A/N: Final chapter! 😉 Did any of you figure out who the culprit is yet? I'm sure some of you already knew or had some clue before this story even began… I mean… Yep! :D We'll see. Either way, hope you enjoy the conclusion! AND it's going up on my birthday? Yep, great way to celebrate! Lol! (References to "Silhouettes" and "Umbra Inferno")

Chapter List:

1: Less than Sensational

2: Covert Chaos

3: Pastimes Aplenty

4: A Race Against Time

*Story*

Chapter 4: A Race Against Time

"What are you talking about?" Sofia asked with a frown. "What wouldn't I like?"

He looked around, realizing this was probably a safer place to talk than the grounds of Hexley Hall at the moment. Spying a gazebo in the near distance, he took her hand and led her over to it before having them both sit down. He sighed before glancing toward her. "I knew a Sylas when I was in school…about this age, as a matter of fact."

Sofia's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the direction this story was going.

"One afternoon, Sylas disappeared after school. Everyone was worried and began searching for him. I wasn't necessarily in the search party, so I went for a walk behind the school. Soon enough, I came across some strange man dressed in dark clothing." He shut his eyes tightly as he continued the next part, "He… He was standing over Sylas, who seemed to be really weak at that moment. I wanted to help him, Sofia, but the man warned me that if I said a word to any of the professors, I'd be next."

The princess's mouth dropped as Cedric opened his eyes.

"…I never told anyone…until now." He lowered his head. "I felt overwhelming guilt the next week and finally managed to somehow mentally block the entire thing from my mind by busying myself constantly. Soon enough, I forgot all about Sylas." He scowled. "That's cruel. Cruel to take on a name of an innocent child who likely lost his life because I was too much of a coward to say anything…"

"Cedric, you did what you thought you had to do. You were a kid." She draped one arm over his shoulders and hugged him. "No one could possibly blame you for blocking that out. _No one_ should experience something terrible like that."

"I suppose…" He winced as he felt a strange wave rush through his body. "Oh, no."

"What is it?" she asked, having felt the tremor beneath her arms. "Is it more of the pain?" She placed her hands in her lap.

"No, I think my youth potion is starting to wear off…" He glanced down at his hands. "I haven't much time left… _maybe_ an hour."

"Then we'll just have to work fast." Sofia unrolled the scroll and set it on the table before them. "Let's solve this riddle."

They poured over the riddle for a while, discussing the terms of _hearing_ , _listening_ , _seeing_ , and such. Surely, those words must mean _something_.

"Usually with riddles, it's not always obvious," Cedric surmised.

Sofia groaned and twirled a lock of her hair as she continued trying to decipher what was written. "Why do villains always do this? Why do they have to have some stupid riddle or show-stopping number? It's getting old."

The boy smiled at her frustrated sigh and shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe they want you to pay closer attention."

The girl's eyes widened as she observed the individual words…and then the independent letters. Something was…different. "Say that again?"

Cedric frowned. "Pay…closer attention?"

Sofia released her hair and picked up the parchment, gaping at the words before her. "Oh, my gosh…" She slammed the scroll back onto the table, causing Cedric to jump. She then pushed it over to his line of sight. "Do you have something to write with?"

"Um…" He withdrew his wand and conjured a quill, which she took. "What is it?"

"Something a little _too_ obvious after staring at this dumb thing for such a long time." She began circling letters. "When I read it, I noticed some of the letters looked a little off…like most of it was in slanted writing, but some of the letters weren't. By the time I looked again, I started really noticing them." She finished circling and gaped at the result. "Cedric…"

He leaned over and took a good look at Sofia's work.

 _ **Who am I?**_

 _ **Only time will tell.**_

 _ **Open your ear**_ **s** _ **and listen well.**_

 _ **You think**_ **y** _ **ou'l**_ **l** _ **sol**_ **ve** _ **a mystery true?**_

 **S** _ **top dreaming and scheming; your days are**_ **t** _ **hrough.**_

 _ **I hop**_ **e** _ **you've listened; I hope you can see.**_

 _ **For only the message he**_ **r** _ **e will lead you to ME.**_

 _ **X**_

SYLVESTER

Cedric glared at the name Sofia wrote on the scroll before standing up. "Sylvester…"

"Wasn't that the name mentioned in that book we saw?" Sofia asked. "He had an evil twin, but he's the only one still alive… And he had a grandson—"

"Simon the Silent," Cedric finished for her. "This has to be Sylvester the Steadfast."

"Ding-ding-ding!" a jeering voice called as the redhaired boy appeared before the friends. "They got it correct, ladies and gentlemen!" He slowly began clapping, smirking at the irritated looks the friends shared. "Isn't that cute? A matching set of glares. My, you really _must_ be best friends."

"We had a deal, _Sylvester_ ," Cedric growled, fisting his hands by his sides. "You said if we could solve your stupid riddle, you'd free me from this curse you obviously placed on me."

"Oh, about that." He grinned. "I lied." He dodged out of the way as Cedric wielded his wand and yelled a command, nearly hitting him. "Temper, temper, little royal sorcerer! Wouldn't want that power to ricochet and hit the princess, would we?" He smirked and held out one hand, countering the magic aimed his way and sending it hurling toward Sofia instead.

"Sofia, look out!"

The princess, thinking fast, dived under the table and slid through to the other side just as half of the gazebo was blasted to smithereens.

"Excellent form, Your Highness," Sylvester mocked with a chortle. "Rather nimble for a royal." He used his wand and melted away his façade, revealing himself as his usual dark-cloaked self with his striking white hair yet same red eyes. "Perhaps I underestimated you."

"Obviously," Cedric snarked.

"Not _you_." He pointed his wand toward Sofia. "I think we all know who the real challenge between you two is. If it weren't for the princess, you wouldn't even _be_ here right now."

"Enough!" Sofia demanded. "Sylvester, you should honor your word and heal Mr. Cedric. He didn't do anything to deserve this."

"Oh, you think so, do you?" He smirked. "Silly princess, always trying to find the 'good' in everyone. Fine, I'll reverse the curse. If for no other reason…" He waved his wand and released a blast of magic toward Cedric, who fell to his knees.

Sofia gasped and knelt beside him.

"I'm curious if you two are even an actual _threat_."

Cedric, who could instantly tell that the curse had been lifted, quickly jumped to his feet and held the wand out toward the man. "Why don't we find out right now?"

Sylvester chuckled. "Maybe next time. I have plans for you two, after all." With that, he vanished.

"What do you think he means by that?" Sofia wondered as Cedric stood, the effects of his potion wearing off and reverting him to his normal self.

"I think it means we need to be even more on guard…" He smiled at last as she rushed toward him, hugging him. "It's all right, Sofia."

"I know…" She glanced up at him. "Don't get me wrong. I always have fun with your childhood self. He's nice and interesting. But he's not you, Mr. Cedric."

Cedric chuckled as he placed one hand on her head. "We're the same person, Sofia."

"I know, but… I guess I just feel like you're _my_ Mr. Cedric, you know?" She smiled as he raised an eyebrow at the explanation. "I met you like this first, so I prefer you the way you are."

The sorcerer smiled, touched by her words. "Thank you, my dear." He glanced up as he noticed the world they'd entered beginning to fade away. "Oh, we'd best be going. This secret world was never meant to be a permanent location, after all." He took the girl's hand and led her toward the weeping willow, touching the bark. " _Ad rem_."

The friends reappeared outside the Hexley Hall building, just as the final bell of the day rang.

"Perhaps it's time to go home now," Cedric suggested.

Sofia nodded. "Oh, wait! What about our copies? And…" She smiled sheepishly. "Maybe we should do something about my interference with your past?"

He nodded at her words. "I've got just the spell for that."

* * *

Once Cedric had taken care of the doubles and wiped the memories of Sofia from the minds of any in Hexley Hall (a spell which he deemed quite dangerous and advised Sofia _never_ to attempt…at least not without his permission and guidance), the friends ventured back home. Surprisingly, it was almost as if they'd never left. It didn't seem like much time had passed at all: maybe an hour or two? And most importantly, things felt the same. Apparently they hadn't affected the past as much as they thought they had.

Cedric collapsed onto his bed and sighed heavily into his pillow as Sofia leaned against his dresser with her arms folded. "No more adventures for a while," he pleaded with a muffled tone. He turned toward his giggling apprentice and frowned. "I don't think I could handle it any time soon."

"I actually agree with you." She sighed. "But…we'll have to figure out how to handle Sylvester the next time we see him."

"I'm aware… I know it's not the last we'll see of him, though I do have a feeling it will be a while before he shows his face again."

Sofia shifted her footing. "How can you be so sure?"

"I can't," he admitted with a shrug. "I just…have a feeling."

She smiled. "That's good enough for me then." She turned as a knock fell upon the door.

Cedric tilted his head. "Enter."

Roland stepped inside and smiled. "How's the patient?" he asked as Cedric scrambled to sit up. "No more fainting spells?"

"No, sire. Sofia knew just the right potion to brew to treat me. Turns out it _was_ a form of…exhaustion. The potion should help though."

Sofia smiled at his cover before turning to her father. "I'm sorry it's taken a while, Dad. I wanted to make sure he was okay."

"It's all right. We did start to wonder though, since it's been over an hour since you left." He turned back toward the door before looking at them. "Would you like me to bring you both some supper so you can eat together and relax?"

Cedric and Sofia exchanged glances before nodding happily toward the king.

"That would be excellent, Your Majesty," Cedric acknowledged. "Thank you. You don't have to do that."

"Nonsense. I feel it's well deserved." He smiled before shutting the door behind him and heading off.

"That's going to take some getting used to," Cedric admitted to his smiling apprentice.

"I like it," she said simply. "It's great you two are getting along now." She then sighed. "So about Sylvester…"

"Forget about him for now, my dear. You and I will handle him when the time comes." He smiled as she hugged him.

"I'm glad you're all right, Mr. Cedric."

He returned the hug. "It's all thanks to you, Sofia."

"Bah," an annoyed voice echoed in a dark room as pale hands tossed a crystal ball across the space, causing it to shatter against the floor. Sylvester glared at the shards, which showed Cedric and Sofia carrying on as if nothing happened. "Don't get so comfortable, you pests. Our battle has only just begun." He turned as he heard a portal open behind him, and he smirked upon realizing just who was hovering before him. "You must be Furio…"

The end (and to be continued in "Umbra Inferno" sequel "Out of Sight")


End file.
